The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-23

| except for a dazzling clearness of complexion,
were like impd wells. An indescribable fresh
ness and purity about her were more striking
than beauty. Reddish hair mot appreciated in
| needed, and, altogether. as Capn Isrel Holiday
| was in the habit of saying, IF 'Lectv want q
beauty she took the shine off them that was
Her long figure was slightly stopped at the
| shoulders, which gave her overworked look
| like her mother. her face was noticeably serene,
and certain little air of decision. of being equal
| to any occasion, unlike her mothers
| nervous energy possible 1t seemed probable
that Mis- 'Liakim had some grounds for the
great complaint of her life that 'Lecty was
You could "a knocked me down with a feather
| when l see who il was layin' there on the straw,
ragged and dirty. and smellin' OF liquor. And
| he made light of it, and said he'd been drinkin'
| strong tea that didn't agree with his nerves Ii
that wan. jest like Ben Holiday for all the
world But he did show some feelin' of shame,
for he begged Of me not to call anybody, and he
| cleared out in a hurry"
'Lecty has risen, dropped old Mrs. Fowler's
bonnet and trimmings in a heap upon the floor
The color came and went in her face
ben lying in the barna He must be sick!
Mother, do you know what you are sayingp
II amt apt not to know said Mis- Liakim,
dryly.
That was true, Iecty remembered. she
| out through the woodshed to the barn; her
| mother was very severe upon oHenses against
the truth: even in her painful bewiiderment
| Lecty recalled, wildly, the time when her moth
err had forced her, five-year old child. to sit for
| two long hours upon the hlgn Old pump Ior Tell
| ing very small lie.
'Lecty bent over the heap OF straw. A very
percepsible odor still hung about it. She hur-
| rIed into the road.
'.No use lookin' for him. 'Lecty." called her
| mothers voice behind her II let the poor fell
| low get long st art before told you. Lecty,
| think girl ought 30 be ashamed when a man
| has never wrote to her or made any sign
| IF he hadn't taken to evil courses"
81 promised you 1 wouldn't correspond with
him. told him not to write. I've wished that
I hadn't" said 'Lecty.
| Mis- Iiakim's mother heart was wrung at
sight of the pain in 'Lecty's face. But she
only said:
YOU'D ought to be thankful to me. then"
| and returned to the house. whore she went
| about her preparations for dinner, briskly, and
! with a great cla.ter.
| Lecty stood In the barn door, with her eyes
| fixed on the unchanging greenness of the great
| spruce tree across the road, more vivid than
| ever in the shower of red and yellow maple
| leaves but seeing nothing.
"No. it wasn't Benz There is some strange
mistake. Ben. Ben forgive me for thinking
| for a moment that it could be so!'
Mis- 'Liakm marveled at the serenity OF her
| face when she returned to the house.
| ''Twon't be long after this before she'll begin
| to think 'twould be pretty nice to be the Honor
| able Mis- Nahum Briggs" she said to herself
with thrill of exultation that quoted an unea-
| siness which had begun to Cypress her
She threw out several cautious little conversa-
| tonal feelers in the course of the day. but
'Lecty was utterly upresponsive
"She'd ought to hear it from somebody else;
| PRIDE" unused Mis- Liakim.
She dropped in, casually. that afternoon upon
Mis- Cey Partridge, whose recipe for sweet
pickles she wished to borrow. Mis- Cely was
generally known the Bloomfield Journal
". once said l knew twas him." she
said to herself. as she re-entered her own door.
But Mis- 'Liakm did not go to prayermeet-
ine although it WAS Friday evening, and she
knew very we'll that when Mis- Deacon Terry
had to start the tunes she put everybody out
She put on her bonnet and took it off again. and
said she was some afraid of neuralagy, twas SO
damp.
Before dark Nahum Briggs drove up to the
door in his new buggy. He also wore
suit OF clothes. and-unheard of frivolity for
Nahum dahlia in his buttonhole.
With great agitation of mind Mis- 'Liakim
recognized these outward embellishments of Ma
huns as indications of final seige
II hope he amt come too soon. She had
ought to have heard more talk" she said TO her
self, anxiously.
She clenched her hands as she listened to the
hum of voices that came from the stuffy little
the Bloomfield fashion. She hoped to see 'Lecty
trip out with him and drive away in the new
buggy. But instead, he drove away alone after
a very few minutes He aid look at all
crushed. however. and shortly afterwards she
heard Lectly softly singing, "Blest be tina to-
that binds our hearts in Christian love, and she
took it for a good sign.
Something had come between her and Tecty
which made it very difficult for her to ask any
questions. Besides the Saunderses were subject
to spells when you couldn't get nearness to
'em. anyhow"
Mis- 'L,akim could not sleep. tossed between
hope and fear, and with an underlying thorn to
which she refused to give name, and which,
indeed, was quite mufied when nope seized her.
Iecty was dutiful and religious, and she had
generally speaking, good common sense; perhaps
to Mis- 'Liakim's mind (alrhough she was quite
unconscious of i'll the latter quality amounted to
as much the two former and at the most she
had only put Nahum off.
Lecty's cheerfuiness the next day inclined her
to q even more hopeful view. She was clearly
not taking on about Ben Holiday.
Early in the afternoon Miss Nancy Briggs
markable that Mis- 'Liakim recognized it at once
portent.
II thought you'd ought TO be the first to hear
the news" she said. looking ostentatiousy away
from Lecty. and transfxing the cat with her ar
tificial eye Nahum is goin' to be married to
Matildy Tripp over to Canterbury, that her
father owns six farms and is selectman, and her
uncle is minister It was all settled last night,
and Nahum was to home and in bed before nalf
after 10. The Briggses was always great for
business, but Nahum beats 'em all / will! own
/ was disappointed. l hope there Amt them
that's more Girls hadn't ought to put too
much meanin' to young mans comm to see
'em till he speaks right out. l expect Nahum
felt as if he'd ought to think something of prop
putty and standin'. Well. l must be goin. I
want let folks know just how is before false
"OLecty!' gasped MIS- Liakim. as Miss
Nancy's broad back lessened on her view.
The visitor remounted the steps suddenly.
"Dretful to think or what Ben Holidays |
to, amt it, Well. 1 expect Satan is a |
Turin us all to fall. And that poor creetur
up at the poor-h house has sent off his mess of
rubbish to ransom him! Mr. and Mis- 'Babbage |
that's goin' missionaries way off to Microneshy,
some such heather place, round by the way
of San Francisco took ON. or pretended to.
Mis- Babbage-she Cynthy Atwood-she's |
terrible soft hearted and Mr.. Babbage thought |
twas real affectin.' Looks to me a dretful |
sight like decevin' to humor him SO, and to my
mind there's skurce any sin that's greater than |
a lie But / expect if poor old Capn Isrel |
should hear and realize what his son has come |
to- it would kill him. Seems as if when look |
at Nahum can't be too thankful for my bles- |
sins"
Mis- Liakm shrank and WINGED visibly, like |
an insect impaled by iununerable pins. One |
faint breath of consolation played her |
fevered soul. the eate-latch clicked Miss |
Nancy in the family circle would not De I'M |
qualified blessing.
"She needn't talk about lynn; what was she |
doin when she rretended Twas Nahum's fault |